IGN: Obviously, the first question that's on everyone's mind is: Why exactly did you feel this was the right time to end the Metal Gear Solid series?

Hideo Kojima: I was supposed to end this in MGS2, you know, originally (laughs). And then I created MGS3, and I said, 'Okay, this is the final one. It's over.' But people said, 'No, there's still not enough answers (in that game)!' As a game design, the story was almost complete in MGS1, 2 and 3, or so I initially thought. But of course, there were some questions that weren't answered, especially with some things after MGS2. I didn't decide that this was the timing – there were a lot of voices saying, 'We want the answer to all of the questions!' That's why as a game, and as a saga, MGS4 is the complete wrap up.

PR-wise, I really don't want to say that this the final game or this is the wrap up, but if I don't say it, people will make me create MGS again! (laughs) So I have to say, 'Die, Snake,' and really end it so I can move on to something else! (laughs) Actually, it's a game, so even if Snake dies, the game can live on. We have to kill him at a certain point.

I think that after Snake is gone, it wont be Metal Gear Solid anymore. Solid Snake IS MGS. Anything after that is just milking the cash-cow. How do the readers feel about this? Comment about it.